Singapore - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 666

9

JOHOR
BAHRU

HIGHLIGHTS
Ku dé ta, Marina Bay Sands
Chinatown
Little India
Singapore night safari
Sentosa

MALAYSIA

1
2

3
4
5

MALAYSIA

WOODLANDS

LIM CHU
KANG

Kranji
War Cemetery
and Memorial

YISHUN

PUNGGOL

Pulau Ubin

North
Eastern
Riverine
Loop (NERL)

4

Changi
Point

Changi Point
Ferry Terminal
Changi
International
Airport

Singapore
Zoological Gardens

CHANGI

Bukit Timah
Nature Reserve

PASIR RIS

SERANGOON

JURONG

BUKIT TIMAH Second

Crossing

TAMPINES Changi

Prison

BUKIT BATOK

Singapore
Botanic
Gardens

TUAS BEDOK

Tanah Merah
Ferry Terminal

GEYLANG

Jurong
Bird Park

LITTLE
INDIA

East
Coast
Park

3

KATONG

CHINATOWN
MARINA
SOUTH

Pasir
Panjang

QUEENSTOWN

2

Singapore River

Haw Par Villa

1

N

5

Singapore
Train Station

Harbourfront Centre

Pulau Brani

Strait of Singapore

5

Sentosa Island

Pulau
Bukum

Sisters'
Island

Kusu Island
Lazarus Island

Pulau Hantu

0 5

St John's
Island

Pulau Seking

SINGAPORE kilometres

Pulau Batam (Indonesia) Pulau Bintan (Indonesia)

1887 The Armenian Sarkies brothers open the Ra es
Hotel . It becomes the social hub of a booming and cosmo-
politan Singapore.
1926 The pro-independence Singapore Malay Union is
established, but grumblings of independence are no
more than a faint whisper.
1942-45 Singapore is occupied by the Japanese during
World War II. Thousands of civilians are executed in vicious
anti-Chinese purges and Europeans are either herded into
Changi Prison, or marched up the Peninsula to work on
Thailand's infamous “Death Railway”.
1945 Singapore returns to British control.
May 1959 The People's Action Party (PAP), led by
Cambridge law graduate Lee Kuan Yew, wins 43 of the 51
seats for the new legislative assembly, which Britain had
agreed to two years earlier. Lee becomes Singapore's first
prime minister.
1963 Singapore, Malaya, Sarawak and British North
Borneo (modern-day Sabah) form the Federation of
Malaysia, but within two years Singapore falls out with
Kuala Lumpur and leaves the federation.
August 9, 1965 Independence for Singapore, described
by Lee Kuan Yew as “a moment of anguish”.
1970s Under Lee, Singapore is transformed into an Asian
economic heavyweight, but at a price: in an apparent
trade-off between freedoms and economic e ciency,
media is censored and political opponents suppressed.

1990 Lee retires and is succeeded as prime minister by
Goh Chok Tong; Lee remains senior minister.
1997 The Asian economic crisis hits Singapore.
2004 Lee Hsien Loong, son of Lee Kuan Yew, becomes
prime minister.
March 2008 Twelve people, including the leader of the
opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Chee Soon
Juan, are arrested for protesting outside parliament
against fast-rising prices.
September 2008 Singapore hosts its first Formula One
night-time Grand Prix.
February 2010 The city-state's first casino opens on
Sentosa Island.
June 2013 Singapore calls for urgent action in Indonesia
after forest fires envelop the state in a cloud of smoke.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Singapore is one of the major gateways
into Southeast Asia, serviced by 80
airlines from 59 different countries,
including much of Europe, the US and
Australia - all touching down at the
impressive Changi International Airport ,
regularly voted the best in the world
and connected to the city centre with
frequent trains, buses and minibus